Schools Can't Save Our Kids

Recently I spoke with a young father.  He told me how he regretted not being able to go over his kindergartener's homework with him because his wife did that before he got home from work.  But he made sure that every night he would read with his son before putting him to bed.  He shared with me how his son was beginning to recognize words .  He was so proud.  Then today I read a Letter to the Editor which stated that the United States students ranked between 15th and 22nd in various subjects world wide. The writer went on to blame our national government with interferring too much.   The Common Core was to blame and that the states should be allowed to decided what is best for the students in their states.



I retired a few years ago after over 30 years teaching, coaching, and administering in public education.  I still substitute teach and supervise education interns, future teachers.  And I'm here to tell you that until we address nationally what is going on in homes across the nation to support our children's education, what schools can do is  never going to be enough. Today schools offer Before School Programs, After School Programs, Mentor Programs,  Free & Reduced Breakfast Programs, Free & Reduced Lunch Programs, and in some cases Dinner Programs, just to name a few.  The Common Core was implemented to try and assure that students everywhere received the same basic education. It's implementation may have flaws but the general concept is a good one.



I substituted in one first grade classroom a multitude of times.  This teacher, like most I come across these days, was doing a fantastic job with her students. However some were flourishing, some were holding their own, while others couldn't even write their own name by year's end.  Each student in her class had a "Go Home" Folder where daily work and notes were placed for the child's parent/guardians to look over, comment on, and remove from the folder. In May, there were still students who's folders were jam packed. Nothing had been looked over.  Was it surprising that those were the students who still could not write their names.  What is learned in school, needs to be reinforced at home.



The young kindergartener mentioned earlier will be successful.  He comes from a home where education is nurtured.  What he learns in school is supported and talked about at home. Until we can assure that all children have a similar home environment, we will continue to fall short.